Bag and method of making same



Feb 20), H945. D. SCHMIDT BAG AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 2 shams-sheet 1 Filed July 26, 1940 fig-2 l A r1.a"1111111111lrllllllplal'flll INVENTOR Dev/n Som/pr- ATTO RN EYS 'Feb 20, H945. D SCHMIDT 2,370,079

BAG AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed July 26, 1940 2 Shees-Sheet` 2 HA B Elli-56 INVENTOR .Da v/D Sci/M1177' BY r ATTORN EYS Patented Feb. 2o, 194s BAG AND METHOD 0F MAKING SABIE David Schmidt, Lakewood, Ohio, asslgnor to The Dobeokmlm Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 26,1940. sei-m No. 341,731

(ci. ca -1) 5 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in oags and to the method of making the improved bags and, particularly, to bags adapted to be used to form packages which may be easily opened by means of a tear strip incorporated in the bag structure and to the method of making such bags.

It has become the general practice in marketing staple groceries, such as dried beans, rice, coffee, or sugar, for example, to package measured quantities of such merchandise at a central warehouse or packing plant. The packages of merchandise are then distributed to the local retail stores where the packages are sold to the consumers. In order to protect the merchandise during the handling in the warehouses and retail stores, such packages must be securely sealed. Because they may be securely and tightly sealed and because they eliminate the need for elaborate wrapping machines at the packaging plant, bags, usually carrying the necessary labels printed thereon, are the most convenient containers for packaging such merchandise. However, when bags, and especially bags of transparent sheeting, such as Cel1ophane," for example, are securely and tightly sealed by an adhesive, heat seal, staples, or the like, it is often dimcult to open the packages manually. Further, when such packages are opened manually, the bags are often so ripped and torn that they cannot be used thereafter as containers for the packaged merchandise.

It is an object of this invention to provide a bag which may be used to package merchandise and which may be readily opened manually, even though the package is tightly sealed, by means of a tear strip incorporated in the bag structure. It is another object of this invention to provide a bag which may be opened along a predetermined line so that the bag may serve as a container for the packaged merchandise after it is opened.

It is a further object of this invention to pro'- vide a bag which may be opened by a tear strip in such a. manner that an end portion of the bag may serve as a closure flap after the bag is opened. Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following specification, claims, and drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a development of a square bag made according to this invention,

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a completed bag made from the development shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the longitudinal seam taken along the line H of Fig. 2.

Fig. 41s an isometric view showing a package formed by filling and sealing a bag as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a development of a flat bag having a modified form of tear strip.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of a completed bag made from the development shown in Fig. 5.

Fig; 7 is an elevation of an opened package made by filling and sealing a bag as shown in This invention is especially adapted to be eml ployed in connection with tubular bags, that is, bags which are made by folding a web into a tube, severing a bag length from the tube, and forming a bottom structure in the tube. Such tubular bags are known in the art as flat, satchel bottom, square, and automatic bags, the flat and Satchel bottom bags being formed from a two-ply tube and the square and automatic bags being formed from pleated tubes. -To illustrate this invention, Fig. 1 shows the development of a square bag having a tear strip incorporated in the bag structure. As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the bag is comprised of a length of web I0 of transparent film, such as Cellophane, for example, paper, laminated film and paper, or other web stock suitable for bags. Extending transversely of the web I0 is a tear strip II laminated to the surface of the web which will become the inner surface of the bag formed therefrom. The tear strip I I is preferably of single ply or laminated colored stock such as Cellophane or similar cellulosic sheeting, or other suitable tear stripmaterial. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the tear strip II extends completely across the web I0 and a portion I2 overhangs one edge I3 to provide a pull-tab. A pair of starting slits or nicks I4 are cut into the edge I3 adjacent the tear strip II. The transverse tear strip I I may be laminated to the web I II by any suitable method, preferably by the method disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 340,955.

To form the bag I5, the web I0 carrying the laminated transverse tear strip II is formed into a tube by passing the web through a suitable former, thus folding the web along the parallel corner fold lines I6, I'I, I 8, and I9 and pleat lines 20 and 2I. As the web I0 is folded into a pleated tube, a band of adhesive 22 is applied to the inner surface of the web I0 adjacent the edge I3so that when the web is folded into a fiat tube, a longitudinal lap seam is formed which adheres the inner surface of the web adjacent the edge I3 to the outer'l surface of the web adiacent the opposite edge 2S. The tear strip II. as shown in Fig. 3, is thus interleaved between the overlapping edges I3 and 23 so that the pullftab I2 is located exteriorly ot the tube.

After the web I5 is tubed, bag lengths are cut from the web so that the bag lengths are each provided with a pasting lip 24. The severed'bag length is then folded along the bottom fold line 25 and the pasting lip 24 is adhered to a wall of the bag by the band of adhesive 25 to form the completed bag I5.

Merchandise is packaged in the bag by bpening the mouth of the bag and bellowing out the pleats in the side of the tube. so that the longitudinal fold lines I5, i1, I3, and I9 become the corners of the package and the pleat lines 20 and 2| lie in the side walls.

mouth o! the bag is closed and sealed. The seal, as shown in Fig. 4, is formed by 'simply folding the mouth of the bag until all slack is taken up and then sealing the folded mouth 21 by a suitable adhesive or heat-seal, thus forming the neat and tightly sealed package 28.

The package 28 is securely sealed and will withstand any usual amount of handling. To be opened manually, the pull-tab I2 is grasped and pulled so that the web i0, starting at the starting slits I4, is torn along the tear strip ii. Because the tear-strip II extends transversely of the web III from which the bag I5 is formed. the tear strip tears across the grain of the web i0, thus tearing the web evenly and close to the edges of the tear strip without starting rips or tears down the walls of the package. By pulling the tear strip I I completely away from the package 28, the top of the package, as shown in Fig. 4, is separated from the lower portion of the package and as much of the contents may be removed as desired. The lower portion of the package then serves as a bag for the remainder of the contents.

To illustrate an embodiment employing a modled form of tear strip incorporated in a bag structure, Fig. 5 shows the development of a. flat bag comprised of a lengthl of web 5I). A tear strip 5I,

laminated to the surface of the web which will become the inner surface of the bag formed therefrom, extends transversely of the web from approximately the center of the web. An end portion 52 may overhang the edge 53 of the web to provide a pull tab. The edge 53 is preferably provided with a p air of starting slits 54 adjacent the tear strip 5I. The transverse tear strip 5I may be laminated to the web 50 by any suitable method, preferably by the method disclosed in my copending application No. 340,955.

To form the bag 55, the web 50 carrying the laminated transverse tear strip 5I is formed into a tube by passing the web through a suitable former, thus folding the web along the longitudinal fold lines 56 and 51. As the web 50 is formed After the desired amount of merchandise is placed in the opened bag, the,

into a flat tube, a band of adhesive 58 is applied to the inner surface of the web adjacent the edge 53 so that when the web is folded into a flat two-ply tube, a longitudinal lap seam is formed which adheres the inner surface of the web adjacent the edge 53 to the outer surface of the web adjacent the opposite edge 59. The tear strip 5I is thus interleaved between the overlapping edges 53 and 59 so that the pull tab 52 is located exteriorly of the tube. Y

After the web 5II is tubed, bag lengths are cut l from the web so that the bag lengths are each provided with a pasting lip 60. The severed bag length is then folded along the bottom fold line 3| and the pasting lip 55 is adhered to the back wall of the bag by the band of adhesive 52 to fonn the completed bag having a front wall 53 deilned by the fold lines 55 and 51 and a back wall comprised of the panels 3 4 and 35 Joined tosether by the band of adhesive 53, the panel I4 being` defined by the edge 53 and fold line 55 and the panel 55 being denned by the fold line 51 and the edge 53.

'I'he tear strip 5I may be located substantially anywhere along the length of the web 5U, but in this particular embodiment it is preferably located above the bottom fold line 5I a distance slightly greater than the distance from the bottom fold line to the edge of the pasting lip 6l so that the pull tab l2 will not be covered by. the pasting lip SII when the bag is formed. Thus, the tear strip 5I is located asclose 'to the bottom ci the bag 55 as is convenient.

If it is desired to print alabel on the bag, the label 65, in this particular "embodiment, is preferably printed upside-down on the outer surface of the bag. as is shown in F18. 5. To package merchandise in the' bag 55, the mouth of the bag is opened and the walls are bellied out by placing the desired amount of merchandise in the bag. The mouth of the bag is then closed and sealed. The seal, as shown in Fig. 7, is formed by simply folding the mouth of the bag until all of the slack is taken up and then stapling the folded mouth 31 with the staples I3, thus forming the tightly sealed package 33.

To be displayed, the sealed package 53 is simply inverted so that the label 35 becomes rightside-up, the sealed mouth 31 becomes the bottom closure of the package, and the tear strip 5I is located at the top of the package. To be opened manually, the pull-tab 52 is grasped and pulled so that the web 50, starting at the starting slits 54, is torn along the tear strip 5I. By pulling the tear strip 5i completely away from the package. an opening 'III is provided, the opening 10 extending across the back panel 55 and slightly farther across the front wall 83 than the tear strip 5I extends.

Because the tear strip 5I extends across the grain of the web 50, the portion of the web 5I! which is pulled away with the tear strip 5I narrows down to a short V-shaped portion beyond the end of the tear strip 5I. The opening 'III permits the contents of the package to be removed and at the-same time leaves a top portion 'Il integral with the body of the package, which top portion 1I willserve as a closure flap after the bag is opened.

While the foregoing description of this invention has been directed particularly to tubular bags having a single center seam, it should be apparent that by adopting the same procedure of applying a transverse tear strip extending from one edge of the web from which a bag or envelope is to be formed, tear strips may be incorporated in the structure of tubular bags having a side seam or die-cut envelopes having one or two side seams. Further, while this invention is intended primarily for use in bags made from transparent cellulosic films, such as Cellophane, or paper, which webs have a definite grain r unning longitudinally of the web, this invention may be employed equally successfully in bags made of synthetic resin films, for example, or similar webs which have no distinct grain running longitudinally of the web, the term grain being used in this specification to define the lengthwise direction of a web, rather than a physical characteristic of the web. It is apparent, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, either in whole or in part, but is limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. The method of forming an easily opened bag comprising the steps of laminating tothe inner surface of a web a tear strip extending transversely of said web to a lateral edge of said web, forming said web into a bag body by forming a longitudinal lap seam with said lateral edge, and interleaving said tear strip between said lap seam.

2. The method of forming an easily opened bag comprising the steps of laminating to the inner surface of a web having opposite lateral edges a tear strip extending transversely of said web from one lateral edge to the opposite lateral edge, folding said web along parallel longitudinal fold lines, and adhering the inner surface of said web adjacent one lateral edge to the outer surface of said web adjacent the opposite lateral edge to form a longitudinal lap seam and to interleave said tear strip between said lap seam* 3. The method of forming an easily opened bag comprising the steps of laminating to the inner surface of a web having rst and second opposite lateral edges a tear strip extending transversely of said web from a point between said nrst and second lateral edges tosaid rst lateral edge, adhering the inner surface of said web adjacent said rst lateral edge to the outer surface of said web adjacent said second lateral edge to form a longitudinal lap seam and to interleave said tear strip between said lap seam.

4. The method of forming an easily opened bag comprising the steps of laminating to a surface of a web a tear strip extending transversely of said web to a lateral edge of said web, folding said web into a tube in which the web surface to which said tear strip is adhered becomes the inner surface of said tube, forming a lap seam in said tube with said lateral edge and interleaving said tear strip between said lap seam, severing a bag length from said tube, said bag length including said tear stripy and folding and adhering an end of said bag length to form a bag bottom structure.

5. The method of forming an easily opened bag which, when lled and sealed, will provide a package having an easily opened top, said method comprising the steps of forming a bag as dened in claim 4 in which the bag length is severed with respect to the included tear strip so that the tear strip is nearer the end of the bag length in which the bottom structure is formed than the other end of the bag length, and including the step of printing on the web material so that the printed indicia is right side up when the bag is turned upside down.

DAVID SCHMIDT. 

